1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gates for spaced openings along barriers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a gate wherein the closure member or members of the gate are moveable in a vertical plane to open and close the gate.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Gates having closure members, such as rails, which are pivotally connected to a post for movement in a vertical plane are widely known in railroad crossing and parking lot applications. Such a vertically opening closure member is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,930 to J. Gail et al. Gail shows a two-piece arm, a first piece pivotly connected to a post and the second piece pivotly connected to a terminal end of the first piece. A third piece pivotly connects to the support post and then to the second piece so that vertical movement of the first piece lowers a free end of the second piece and pulls the second piece toward the support post, opening the gate.
A single closure member gate that has two different types of pivotal movement positions is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,498 to W. Reinitz et al. Reinitz discloses a vertically opening railway gate that upon collision swing horizontally, as would a door. The single closure member of the gate of Reinitz includes three telescoping segments, defining a colinear closure member.
Coplanar closure members, acting in the same plane, such as vertically opening doors and cable systems to open such doors are also known. Such a vertically opening door or gate is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,497 to J. Case. The gate is integral and does not brake or articulate as is seen in Gail. A window grill including integrally connected horizontal and vertical members is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,590 to C. Kordewick. The Kordewick grill swings in a horizontal plane and also has two pivot points in the horizontal members allowing for a second type of articulation, again in a horizontal plane.